Students raised concerns about the cost of living, climate crisis, international students’ rights, and night-time safety during the Sheffield Students’ Assembly, which was held at The Crucible Theatre and organised by Sheffield Hallam Students’ Union. Abtisam Mohamed, Member of Parliament for Sheffield Central, engaged with attendees in a roundtable discussion and Q&A session.
Four students shared testimonies on the cost of living, climate education, international student housing, and nighttime safety, highlighting the struggles faced by Sheffield students.
A Masters student criticised the lack of maintenance loans, saying many are forced to balance multiple jobs while affording rent and course materials. “The impact is [on] postgraduate students who have no maintenance plans to fall back on. I can barely afford to cover my bills and materials that are essential for my course,” they said.
Another speaker called for stronger climate education, arguing that students should not have to learn about the climate crisis “through social media.” They urged MPs to hold universities accountable for meeting sustainability targets.
An international student described housing as a crisis, citing exploitative guarantor policies and scams targeting students in pre-departure WhatsApp groups. “Skyrocketing rents, guarantor requirements, and upfront rent payments of six to 12 months are making housing unaffordable for many international students,” they said.
On night-time safety, a speaker demanded better security measures and staff training, noting frequent experiences of harassment, spiking, and assault. “We need to put student safety at the forefront,” they said.
Following 15-minute roundtable discussions on key student concerns, MP Abtisam Mohamed addressed student concerns in a Q&A session.
Mohamed said: “One of the things that I’d like to do is have surgeries at both [University of Sheffield and Hallam] universities to make sure that students know that I’ll be accessible. I’ll have a set day every month.”
She noted that “very few” students reach out to her and hopes this initiative will change that.
On student housing, Mohamed acknowledged struggles with guarantors and upfront rent payments, particularly for international and working-class students. She noted that new legislation will limit landlords to charging only one month’s rent upfront, and she is considering pushing for a government-backed guarantor scheme, despite resistance from ministers.
“I went to both [University of Sheffield and Hallam] universities to study. When I was there, if somebody had asked me for a guarantor, I wouldn’t have anybody,” she said. “I don’t have those connections, and I would have been prevented from going to university.”
Regarding public transport, Mohamed confirmed that a consultation to bring buses back into public ownership has closed. South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard is working on a franchising model similar to Greater Manchester’s.
On international students, she said a drop in numbers has impacted universities financially and that she is working through an All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) to advocate for better support.
“Some of the things that we’re looking at is the experience that international students receive, because we hear many complaints, not just in Sheffield, but nationally, that the value of what they pay for is not always received,” she said.
She also committed to raising concerns with Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson about placement-year students receiving lower maintenance loans, emphasising that financial barriers should not discourage students from gaining employability experience.
Mohamed encouraged students to keep lobbying for policy changes, highlighting the potential for future improvements in student maintenance grants.
Featured Image Credit: @Abtisam_Mohamed/X
